


Shine

by Tenshiryuu



Category: Guardians of Childhood - William Joyce, Rise of the Guardians (2012)
Genre: Golden Age AU, Goldenfrost, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-05-20
Updated: 2015-08-08
Packaged: 2018-01-25 20:31:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 20,443
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1661480
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tenshiryuu/pseuds/Tenshiryuu
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>As the Golden Age is threatened by a growing darkness, General Kozmotis Pitchiner finds himself the caretaker of one extremely unpredictable Comet, Jack Frost.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Starfall

**Author's Note:**

> This is an AU based off the earlier one-shot I did, Wild Child. I really wanted to do a Golden Age AU, and started playing around with the idea of Jack being a comet. He's a little bit of movie Jack, a little bit Nightlight, and a little bit Peter Pan. Hope you enjoy!  
> Edit: Shine has a Tumblr! http://frostedstarlight.tumblr.com/

The Golden Age. A time of great prosperity, of art and learning and exploration reaching to all corners of the universe. Some beings could only partake of it for a moment, their lives barely lasting a hundred years, a mere blink of an eye in the great spiral of time. Others soared through the centuries, watching the cosmos change, ever learning, ever moving forward. It was an age of sprawling cities glittering under their suns, inhabited by all manner of scholars and artists, merchants and mages.

There was still darkness, to be sure, but it was far from the minds of most. Dark Matter, Dream Pirates, Fearlings, and Black Holes were the wraiths that haunted the far edges of the universe, the stuff of childhood stories told in front of a brightly burning fire. Everyone knew the shadows were kept at bay by the Constellations and their shining armies. The Knights' golden galleons sailed the stars, ever watchful, ready to send any dark things fleeing back to their distant hiding places.

If the planet-bound species of the universe thought little of the darkness, the wandering stars and celestial bodies thought even less about them. They gave no real notice to the great cities, to anything created by those bound to the earth. Sometimes they would encounter the gilded ships and race them across the vast starfields, but the shooting stars would often lose interest after a short time.

It was because they remained so aloof that little was know about these celestial travelers, only the Star Wranglers ever really spoke to any of them. Shooting Stars were fairly common and often passed by the inhabited worlds. Comets were much rarer and tended to avoid getting to close to any planet with a sun. One day, however, a family of comets happened to pass by a small world floating by the galaxy's edge.

They shot over the nighttime side of the little planet, and perhaps because of that they didn't notice the darkness. They didn't see the great nightmare beast that drifted there, away from the watchful eyes of the Golden Armies who were patrolling the more populated worlds. It was a Blackout, a terrible thing that fed on all manner of light, and the cold, frozen blue of the little Comets was more than enough to catch its attention.

The monster attacked suddenly, sending the family scattering in all directions. The oldest of the children tried to stay close to his sister, attacking the thing with every ounce of ice he could muster. He could hear his parents on the creature's other side doing the same. They kept moving, shooting in disorienting circles around it, shouting and fighting back as hard as they could.

The boy succeeded in stabbing one of the Blackout's eyes, enraging the monster enough that it left the others to chase him down. He shot away toward the planet, not daring to look behind, only shouting to his family to fly away. They were all right, they had to be. He'd lead this thing away, maybe toward the planet's sun. If he was lucky, the thing would become entranced with the light like a Lunar Moth to a flame, and incinerate itself. Of course, there was a chance that he too would burn up, but he pushed that thought from his mind. He would make it, he would go back and find his family.

The little Comet prided himself on his speed, even the Shooting Stars had trouble keeping up with him. He was exhausted from the battle, however, and he couldn't seem to fly as fast as usual. He could feel the darkness of the thing behind him. Close, it was too close. Could he even escape this planet's gravity field? Too close. 

He gave a pained howl as a spidery tendril wrapped around him. He could _feel_ it as the Blackout sucked the light out of him, like it was taking out part of his very soul. He snarled, biting and clawing at the creature, sending spirals of ice across the dark limb that held him. It was pointless. The thing was too big, too strong. It was squeezing the light, and the life out of him.

He couldn't let it end like this. He couldn't let this thing devour him and then go after his family again. He had to do something. The little Comet dug his frozen claws into the tendril wrapped around him. He may not have had much light left, but he still had ice. He called it from deep inside him, ice as cold as the farthest, deepest edges of the universe. The Blackout shrieked as blue frost feathered its way up the the dark tendril clamped around the Comet, spreading further and further up its dark body. Still the boy didn't let go.

He didn't know how long it was – minutes, hours, days,- but when he dared raise his head, the Blackout was frozen solid. Drained of ice and light, the little Comet struggled out of the motionless Blackout's grip. He tried to fly off, to rejoin his family, but he had no more strength. He was falling. Their battle had taken them closer and closer to the little planet, and he was trapped, pulled down by the planet's gravity.

The Comet shot toward the planet. He should have burned up, but the Tsars Lunar can tell you that willpower is a strange force indeed. Perhaps it was the boy's determination, or the will of the cosmos, or something else entirely, but the Comet crashed to earth. The same could not be said for the Blackout. The boy landed in a crater of ice and shattered rock, curled up unconscious, but alive.

 

When the Comet awoke again, he could remember nothing. He dragged himself out of the crater, prismatic eyes blinking in confusion. He didn't know who he was, or even what he was. What was this place, and how had he arrived here? There was nothing around him but rocks and trees, and the star-filled sky above. As he stumbled through the darkness, he saw a faint glow ahead. The closer he got, the brighter the cheerily flickering orange light became.

It was a village. The Comet crouched behind a bush, watching. There were people there, though few of them as it was late. They were little humanoids, and they didn't look anything like the Comet. He looked down at his own claws and pale skin, nothing like the tanned creatures he saw before him. Why didn't he look like them?

They didn't seem threatening, so he rose and moved slowly toward the village. All activity stopped, eyes turning to him in wonder and fear. He tried to ask them where he was, and who they were, but they didn't seem to understand him. He was still exhausted from everything that had happened, and his slender legs suddenly gave out. The boy collapsed, trying to grab a nearby railing to keep himself from falling.

Ice shot from his fingertips, coating the side of the building and causing the people gathered there to leap back in surprise. There was muttering among the villagers. “I didn't mean it-” the boy said, trying to pick himself up off the ground. He ended up sending another blast of ice around him, and the muttering turned to shouting.

He yelped as something struck him, why were they throwing things, he didn't mean to do it. Didn't these people know what ice magic was? Some of the villagers grabbed torches, and the Comet's eyes widened in fear of the burning orange flames. They chased him, and he darted back toward the darkness of the woods, away from the angry villagers and the heat of the flames.

The boy didn't stop until the orange glow was far behind him, and the only light came from the stars above and his own faint glow. They were afraid of him. He didn't belong there. He stared at his clawed hands, his long tail. If not here, then where? He wandered until he found the crater, and curled up again inside it. Once his frantically beating heart calmed down, he let sleep claim him.

He tried going back the following morning, but they spotted him and didn't allow him anywhere near. He took to keeping to the forest, only approaching the village in the evening to steal food. He watched the people, and even though they didn't allow him near, he learned from them. He learned to hunt, and to make fire, though he hated it cooked food _did_ taste good. He realized very quickly that he was faster and stronger than them, and that, while they were bound to walk the ground, he could fly (he'd forgotten this as well when he crashed.) Sometimes he felt that he should be able to fly up to the stars shining above, but he could never get that high.

The boy took to wandering, traveling the world, moving from village to village in the hopes of learning something. Although tiny, some of the villages had starports. The boy saw great shining ships descend sometimes, though it was only once in a great while. Beings would come down off of them, ones that looked different from those that lived on the planet. They would trade things, and then the newcomers would ascend back onto the fantastic vessels and disappear once again into the sky. Sometimes the boy thought about trying to sneak onto one, he had become very good at sneaking, but the ship's occupants seemed even more frightening and dangerous than the villagers. So he stayed in the shadows, longing blue eyes fixed on ships as they vanished into the heavens.

One other thing the boy noticed was that while the people around him seemed to grow, change, and eventually die, he remained the same. Years passed. He learned their language, but even when he could speak to them they still feared him. He gave himself a name, Jack. It seemed a common name in many places, and he liked the sound of it.

His powers were still unreliable, and they manifested themselves at the worst times. Jack realized that his appearance was just as frightening to many of the planet's inhabitants as his ice. The word they used was “monster”. _Monster_ was a bad thing, and Jack decided that if that's what he really was, he didn't want to be one any longer. Eventually he learned to suppress his magic, and change his form to look more like them, though he retained his pale skin and snowy hair. He could still fly, and use his ice in this form, though to a much lesser extent, and he tried not to do anything frightening in the presence of the planet's inhabitants.

Even so, he sometimes lost control, and when he panicked he changed, became that _monster_ again. Jack hated it, he wasn't a monster, and the more panicked he became, the harder it was to change back into a _person_. That's what he was, right? A person, like them. Sometimes his ice would hurt people, though he never meant it to. He was chased out of village after village, and they became aware of his human form too. They called him Jack Frost because of his ice, and blamed him any time there was a terrible fall storm or particularly harsh winter. Jack Frost was bad luck.

He gave up trying to fit in, building himself a home in the woods near his crater. Centuries passed, and he became something of a legend. The Ice Monster, the spirit of winter that dwelt in the deep woods and froze unfortunate travelers. Every evening Jack's arctic eyes turned toward the stars, to the place where he felt he belonged. The starships came and went, and one year slipped into the next. Nothing ever changed on this backwater little world.  
Nothing, that is, until the arrival of the golden-armored Celestial.

 


	2. Pain in the Asteroid

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> General Kozmotis Pitchiner and his crew get called out to investigate some strange happenings on an asteroid mining colony, and get a little more than they bargained for.

The armies of the Constellations were vast, their warriors hailing from every corner of the universe. Some were humanoid, others not so much. Some could fly, some could swim. Some had scales, or fur, or feathers. All of them traveled the cosmos in great ships of bronze and gold, bearing the Sun-sigil of the Golden Age. That symbol brought joy and peace to all who saw it, for they knew that these brave Knights kept the darkness at bay.

Of all the wide and varied races, though, the Celestials were most famous. Long-lived, elegant humanoids from the very cradle of the Golden Age's civilization, they served the Constellations from time immemorial, and the most well known among them was Kozmotis Pitchiner. He was tall, even for his kind, with tanned skin and fiery red hair streaked through with gold. His eyes shone a bright silver-gold. His armor too was gold, and he was known as the Shining General in charge of the greatest of the Star Galleons. Though he would tirelessly pursue the Fearlings and Dream Pirates to the far reaches of space, he was widely know for his mercy and good judgment despite his deep hatred of the creatures.

Centuries ago, he had lost his wife to the Fearlings when the creatures launched a sneak attack on his homeworld, a peaceful little planet floating in Orion's belt. Kozmotis had been nearly driven mad with grief then, believing that he had lost not just her, but his only daughter as well. Seraphina, fortunately, had escaped the siege on their home, and finding her safe and sound had calmed Koz's bloodlust enough to save him from what would have been a very unfortunate fate. He still hated the darkness, perhaps more than anyone else, but the Shining General had never lost his sense of honor or dignity.

Sometimes, though, Koz wished he could simply retire to a quiet corner of the galaxy and pretend that the darkness, the shadows, and the fear didn't exist. Today was one of those days. Dream Pirates and Dark Matter were appearing more and more often in the Outer Reaches. Kozmotis certainly wasn't the only general in the service of the Constellations, but lately it was beginning to feel like he was.

Somehow his galleon seemed to be the only one called to action. Oh, they'd get help from the local garrison for the more messy situations, but it was always the _Alnilam_ who got the call. Maybe it was because people were getting jittery, and knowing that the Shining General of the Constellations was close by helped to soothe troubled spirits. Or maybe it was because no one else wanted to fly out to these gods-forsaken wastes if they didn't have to. Even so, it would be nice to _not_ stop and investigate _every single_ stranded ship from here to the Eternal City. The _Alnilam_ should have been on course to return home for a much needed leave two weeks ago.

Yet, here he was with yet another directive to go sniffing around an asteroid mining colony that had been reporting some strange happenings. Headquarters had assured him this was the last roadblock, and that it would be smooth sailing back to the City after the affair was settled. Kozmotis hoped for his sake and his crews' that they were right, the poor troops were probably tired of empty starfields. Space was incredible, and Koz loved it, but he was more than ready for solid earth beneath his feet, for fresh air and sunlight, and the scent of the outdoors. He also longed to see his daughter again.

Seraphina. On top of the asteroid mining investigation, Koz had received a vidmail from her informing him that she had passed another semester at the Academy with flying colors. This should have made him proud, and he certainly was, but it also set his mind to worrying. Another semester down, hadn't it just started? His little girl was going to be in the Service before he knew it. Of course, she wasn't so little now but that hardly mattered.

It seemed like only yesterday she was chasing Starfish in their old cruiser, and now here she was studying magic in the Academy. While Celestials were nearly impervious to magic, especially elemental magic, most could not wield it. Seraphina, however, had an affinity for it. She seemed able to control most elements with ease, and also had a unique ability to understand the mind of nearly any living thing, terrestrial or celestial. With her skill set, chances were that she would enter the Service as part of Science and Exploration, but with darkness lurking in the depths, there was always danger. The idea of her joining the Service at all horrified Koz, and his daughter knew it. She reassured him constantly that she could handle it, and that it was her own choice to join.

Koz knew, deep down, that he wouldn't be able to stop her from doing something once she'd set her mind to it, and that she was a young woman who didn't need his doting attention anymore. She _was_ strong, the entire Pitchiner line was. He was a father though, and it was his job to worry. Koz sighed, staring out the bridge viewport at the distant asteroid mine that was their next destination. At least once this was over he could pay her a visit at the Academy. Until then, he would brood silently and try not to think about his daughter eventually graduating, joining the service, and possibly fighting the same darkness he faced as a soldier of the Constellations.

“You're looking grumpier than usual, General,” a voice stirred Koz from his thoughts. Colonel Falchion grinned knowingly up at him. She was a dragonish creature, shorter than Koz though taller than most humanoids, and herself had at least one offspring in each year at the Academy. “Sera will be fine, you know. She's scarier than you are when she wants to be, and just as stubborn. Plus, she can set things on fire now when she gets mad. Or at least that's what Spatha says.”

Koz raised a fiery eyebrow. The _setting things on fire_ thing was new. Apparently Sera hadn't seen fit to mention it. He sighed, continuing to stare ahead at the rapidly approaching mine “I know, I'm not worried. I'm just ready to get back to civilized space. Every star is starting to look the same.” Part of that, at least, was true.

“Uh huh.” Falchion didn't sound convinced. Her scaled tail flicked, and she nodded toward their destination. “Watch, it's gonna be astrobats. Looks like they just started work on that big rock over there, bet they forgot to put up screens over the mines. Amazing how people forget that a colony can squeeze through almost anything.”

“I'd rather it be bats than Fearlings,” Koz brushed at a spot on his gauntlet. He was in full armor, more for appearance than anything. This sector had been fairly quiet lately and he really wasn't expecting more than local wildlife or a ragtag band of rovers who could be easily subdued.

The _Alnilam_ pulled into the mining operation's dock. It seemed like it was a very basic, low-tech operation. There were still many races that believed in doing things the old-fashioned way, getting down and dirty instead of sending out droids to do everything. He could appreciate that. Another ship was already there in the bay, a small familiar-looking Ranger vessel. He groaned. “Aster's here.”

“You say that like it's a bad thing. If it _is_ just astrobats then we can leave it to him and be on our merry way.” Falchion smirked.

“Point,” Koz admitted. Astrowildlife management was up to the Rangers, not the crew of the _Alnilam_. Koz, Falchion, and a small band of warriors descended onto the docking bay floor, where a group of miners was speaking to a large, scruffy rabbit-like being. Seeing Koz and his company approach, the group abandoned the Pooka and headed toward them. The miners were a mixed lot of subterranean species. Most of them were short and squat, with large clawed hands for digging and tiny eyes. Vision probably wasn't their best sense, but they still looked up at Koz in his golden armor in awe as they greeted him.

“We were just telling the Ranger, the problems started last week, just as we were getting ready to start tunneling on that large asteroid there. There's a nice big cave inside it that we were going to set up as a base, but there's already something in there.” The mole-like creature that appeared to be in charge explained.

“Or some _things_ ,” added a dwarfish humanoid with a bushy beard. She put her hands on her hips. “And it's _not_ astrobats. We been doing this for years, I think we would be able to tell by now if it was.” The rest of the little group nodded vigorously.

“Something doesn't want us there,” a third voice piped in. “There's a _feeling_ when you try to go in. It's scary.”

“We will investigate,” Koz reassured them. Great, it sounded more and more like Fearlings or some such nuisance. He glanced at the Pooka who had followed the gaggle of miners. “Ranger, have you been looking into this matter as well?”

“Jus' got here a bit before you,” Aster grumbled. Pookas were generally a pleasant race, with Aster being the exception. He always seemed to have a flea up his furred rear as far as Koz was concerned. “I heard they'd called the _Alnilam_ out so I waited. These folks don't think it's any kind of astrowildlife and I wasn' about t' lead my crew into a cave in the Outer Reaches by m'self if you were gonna show up.”

“Looks like we get all the fun,” Koz nodded to the mining director. “Show us where to go.”

The little creature led them out of the docking bay and across a series of cobbled-together bridges leading up toward the large asteroid in question. Koz could see the openings of mining tunnels on some of the smaller rocks drifting around them. Asteroid ore extraction wasn't exactly glamorous, but some species loved it, and this group seemed to be in the process of making quite a mining boom town. “This one that you landed on, we been using it as a living quarters,” the director explained as they walked. “But as you can see, it's kind of in the open. The cave is much better for a base camp and it's protected. We can reach the rest of the field easy from there, too.” He sighed. “Guess someone else had the same idea.”

The miners led them up to the unfinished tunnel leading into the asteroid. The walls were rough and the ground uneven, so the warriors had to watch their footing. The director pointed. “The end of this opens into the cave, or at least the first part of it. We weren't able to go very far in to see just how big the space is. Any time we do, we hear things. Feel things. Even with a light,no one's felt much like going more than a few feet in.”

Koz's hand traveled to his blade, and he saw Falchion do the same. Nothing too terrible would be hiding on a rock this size, but it probably wasn't going to be a walk in the park either. So much for being in and out in a flash. Koz gestured to a pair of nearby soldiers carrying portable floodlights. If there was one thing Fearlings and their ilk hated, it was bright light, and these would at least slow down whatever lurked inside. Lamps lit, the company headed inside, while the Ranger and his crew brought up the rear.

Almost as soon as they had entered the tunnel, Koz sensed it, that little gnawing sense of nervousness, of fear. It was something he was well used to by now, and he shoved it from his mind. Dark things possessed an aura that caused unease, and ordinary beings like the miners would be easily susceptible to it. Even though the creatures were often quite weak physically, this dread aura would allow them to cloud the thoughts of their prey, making them easier to confuse and overcome.

“Dream Pirates,” Falchion growled, her catlike crimson eyes glowing. Koz didn't question, she was excellent at reading the different auras that each kind of darkness possessed, and could often sense what was ahead before anyone else.

“Makes sense,” Koz answered, glancing around at the floodlit walls. “Big cave, Outer Reaches, nothing but asteroid miners to bother you.”

“How unfortunate for them someone thought to call us.”

The end of the tunnel that led into the unexplored cave appeared ahead of them, a small opening that only a few could squeeze through at a time. Lovely. Falchion shoved her way past Koz, peering through into the darkness beyond. “This part is currently empty. I think it's an antechamber. But I definitely sense them beyond it.” She slipped through, accompanied by the light-bearers.

Koz and the rest of the crew followed in groups of three. This chamber was much wider than the tunnel, but not as huge as Koz had expected. The golden glow of the floodlights easily illuminated the walls and ceiling as bright as day. They readied their weapons and continued forward. The surroundings expanded as they went deeper in, until the boundaries of the cavern could no longer be seen in wide circles of the floodlights' glow. Every so often something would skitter off just beyond that glow, but nothing bothered them.

After several more feet, the walls seemed to close in again, and an opening appeared in front of them. Koz wasn't expecting to surprise whatever lurked inside. The creatures here had either seen them land, or heard them enter the cave, and would most likely be ready for a fight. At least the opening ahead was much wider than the tunnel, and a small group could easily fit through. The Ranger and his group stopped here, they would guard this exit.

Weapons raised and floodlights at maximum, they entered the next chamber. Even though he couldn't see, Koz sensed that this space was huge, it simply _felt_ more open than the previous cavern. Everything was silent. He glanced at the Colonel, who nodded off toward the far end of the cave. The party moved forward.

Every so often Koz would catch sight of things at the light's edge. Bits of rope, crates, and other assorted items that indicated that the cavern was in use, or had been quite recently. If he had thought to question Falchion's early judgment, this just confirmed it. Suddenly, cries rang out from the surrounding darkness.

Dark shapes darted around the edge of the floodlights, growling and shouting. Dream Pirates didn't hate light as much as some other creatures, but they weren't willing to expose themselves either. Swords clashed as the warriors fell upon the creatures. Falchion darted off into the darkness, leading a group of fighters whose senses were sharp enough to do battle in low light.

There weren't that many opponents, and they seemed more intent on preventing Koz's forces from moving forward rather than actually defeating them. Koz had a feeling that the shouting and constant dancing around the edges of the light pools was meant to make him think the enemy's numbers were greater than they really were. They must have a ship docked somewhere up ahead. If he could find and capture the captain then things would wind down swiftly.

The sound of engines roaring to life filled the cave. The scattered pirates retreated suddenly, as swiftly as they'd appeared. Falchion darted back toward him. “Ship, if it wasn't obvious. It's at the far end of the cave. Looks like one built for speed, too, though I couldn't get a good view. Might even be advanced enough to cloak itself. It must have been mostly loaded by the time we got here, they were probably trying to get out of here before we arrived.”

“Obviously that plan didn't work out very well. Could you see which way it's going to exit?”

She shook her head. “No, but I sent someone back to inform the Rangers as soon as I saw it. Hopefully they'll fly around and catch them as they try and leave.”

“Aster's floating barge won't be able to track a cloaked ship,” Koz turned, indicating that they should head back toward the _Alnilam_ as fast as possible. “And I highly doubt he's got any real weapons on that thing. It's not built for offensive capabilities.” This was getting to be more of a pain than he'd imagined. He sent a quick transmission to the bridge, giving them the rundown of what happened and letting them know to ready the ship for immediate deployment as soon as they were back on board. The company raced back through the caverns, meeting no resistance, for which Koz was grateful.

It felt like the tunnel went on forever, and Koz had no idea if they'd make it out in time to be able to intercept the Pirate vessel. Chances are the vagabonds had an immediate passage to the outside. The Pirates hadn't harmed the miners, but Koz would be damned if he allowed this lot to roam free. With Dream Pirates, it was only a matter of time before they began scuttling ships and sucking out the hopes and dreams of the occupants. Some victims took weeks, or even months, to get their positive thoughts back.

They darted across the narrow bridges and back into the docking bay. Koz noted that Aster's ship was gone, so at least someone had been able to go on ahead. As soon as all hands were aboard, the _Alnilam's_ engines fired up, and the golden galleon sailed out into the asteroid field.

“Any sign of those creatures?” Koz glared out through the viewport.

“No, General,” the Captain answered. “We've not seen anything, and we've been monitoring for any odd energy bursts as well, in case they are cloaked as you said. Ah, here's a transmission from Aster, shall I put him through?”

“Of course.”

The Pooka's scowling visage appeared on the vidscreen. “We're on the far side of the rock, headed out as soon as your man tol' us what was happenin'. Haven't seen hide nor hair o' the blighters.” He paused to glance back at one of his officers and nodded. “There's a mass of openings on this side big 'nuff fer a ship, no tellin' which they'll come outta, and we can't get much closer. Buncha smaller rocks here, and it's hard to maneuver.”

“I see. Thank you, Ranger Aster, your service has been quite helpful.” Koz stared past the vidscreen at the drifting asteroids. Had the Pirates already escaped? He clenched long fingers into a fist. He hated the thought of even a small band of Pirates getting away. Who knew what unfortunate space travelers they would torment. “We'll take it from here, if you'd be kind enough to inform the miners that their cave is clear. I doubt they'll be returning after this, now that their hideout has been exposed.”

“Roger that, mate.” The ranger's scruffy face vanished from the screen.

“General,” one of the officers called out a few moments later, squinting at a monitor. “I've got something here, just a little strange energy spike, from the underside. It's faint though.”

Kozmotis ordered the galleon to drift down toward the lower part of the asteroid, below where the cave must have been. At first nothing seemed out of the ordinary, but Koz's sharp eyes picked out something, a small distortion in the space ahead of them. It was barely noticeable, but something was there, moving away from them.

The ship had a cloaking device, but it wasn't working quite right. Had they been trying to fix it in that hideout? Too bad for them, Koz was going to have to ruin whatever work they'd done. One or two energy blasts should do the trick. While he wasn't about to open fire on another ship, even a Pirate vessel, they needed to be able to see their prey. “Take out their cloaking device, and see if we can open a transmission channel to them.”

Koz knew they'd have to catch the thing before it cleared the asteroid field enough to engage the warp drive. Fortunately, once the gunners knew what they were looking for, they swiftly homed in on it. A disruptor shot struck the smaller vessel, and it flickered into sight as the cloaking device failed. The _Alnilam_ began closing the distance between them. Falchion had been right, the Pirate vessel was built for speed, but like the cloaking device, everything seemed to be in disrepair.

“Ship's communications are down, General,” said one of the technicians. “We've got a lock on them now, though. I don't think they'll be going anywhere fast.”

“Good, get a tether on them. Let's get them rounded up and locked up, and get this galleon back on course for the Eternal City.”  
“Aye to that, General.” The man nodded, as did several of the surrounding crew.

The _Alnilam_ shuddered suddenly as the smaller vessel opened fire. There didn't seem to be anything at all wrong with the Pirate's weapons, and the shots were surprisingly powerful. Koz was almost knocked off his feet. He'd just about had it with these vagabonds. It was bad enough that they were weeks behind schedule, if those Pirates damaged his ship... Koz was about to order the gunners to return fire when the Pirate vessel put on a burst of speed, shooting into a denser portion of the asteroid field.

 _You are not getting away_. Koz's silver-gold eyes followed the retreating ship. It could maneuver the floating rocks with more ease than the _Alnilam_ , but Tech had a lock on them. It would only be a matter of time. They couldn't play hide-and-seek in the asteroids forever. Even Dream Pirates needed supplies, and that little ship would run out soon enough. Koz ordered the _Alnilam_ to follow, taking the safest route possible while still keeping the Pirate vessel on radar.

They followed the ship for days. It kept to the densest portions of the asteroid field, and there were always too many rocks in between it and the _Alnilam_ to get a clear shot. Even if they had succeeded in crippling it, they would have had a near impossible task navigating close enough to tether it. Aster's ship swung by once more, but he wasn't about to risk getting blasted by the Pirates' strangely powerful weapons or smashed by wayward space rocks. Eventually their prey became desperate and made a break for the field's edge, probably in an attempt to jump to warp.

Koz sensed their intentions, and took a chance sending the _Alnilam_ through a maze of large asteroids to catch up to them. Once the little ship cleared the edge of the field, they would blast it and cripple the engines. That was the plan, at least. They hadn't counted on the Pirates making the jump _before_ fully clearing the field. Koz saw the smaller ship's engines flare up in preparation, and barely had time to order the gunners to fire before the Pirate vessel vanished from view.

He snarled. “Damn them. Do we still have a lock?”

“Aye, General. We hit them too, I'm sure of it. Didn't take out the engine, but I don't think they'll be able to remain in warp for long.” The officer punched in a few calculations. “Based on their trajectory, the closest planet is...uh...some little world whose name isn't even in the registry. A few spaceports, but very little technology. I've got the coordinates. Do we set sail?”

The Shining General scowled, and forced himself to give the order. Planet Middle-of-Nowhere, here comes the _Alnilam_. Koz rubbed his temples. Just what did the universe have against him and his crew returning home?  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I imagine that space in this AU is kind of Treasure Planet-esque. It kind of makes it more fun to have things living out there. The name of Koz's ship, Alnilam, is the second star in Orion's belt.


	3. Encounter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Koz follows the damaged Dream Pirate ship to a lonely planet at the universe's edge, he encounters a strange boy with the powers of ice. Though neither one knows it, the meeting will change their worlds forever.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is the revamped version of the original one-shot story Wild Child.

It was only a short jump to the little unnamed world for a ship with a functioning warp drive. The navigator hadn't been kidding about the “Small with very little technology” part. Even the planet's night side had very few lights to be seen, with the majority of them clustered around what was obviously one of the few spaceports. Most of the landmass appeared to be covered in deep forests. _Oh wonderful_. The Pirates would have their pick of hiding places. They could still get the faint reading of the other ship's energy signal, but it was patchy. Koz suspected that the heavy plant cover and varied wildlife were obscuring it.

The little world wasn't heavily populated with sentient life according to the sensors. There were scattered villages, but most of the readings showed wildlife. There was,occasionally, one other odd spike on the sensors that would appear from the forest below them, then vanish as swiftly. It didn't match the locals, wildlife, or Pirates, so they ignored it as an anomaly and decided on their next course of action.

Even with so few inhabitants, there was no way the General nor his crew would allow the Pirates to contaminate the little planet. Koz had pledged to protect all worlds, not just the bustling mega cities of the Constellations. They received a static-y and rather disgruntled sounding confirmation to send down a landing party. It was clear when Koz and his selected crew reached the ground that the citizens of this world weren't terribly interested in technology. The spaceport had been set up out of trade necessity, and it seemed as if all advanced tech ended at its edges.

The inhabitants had no use for starships or space travel, focusing instead on tending their own little farms and fields. They cared little for the goings-on of the rest of the galaxy. It was a peaceful planet, perhaps a bit too much so. But, Koz reminded himself, it was because of him and the other armies that they could exist so. The warriors of the Constellations held back the darkness so people like the inhabitants of this world could live their lives in peace. Now that peace was in danger. However, convincing the town elders of this fact wasn't as easy as he'd hoped. While Koz and his men attracted a great deal of attention when they landed, the townsfolk showed little concern when they were told of the Dream Pirates hiding in the woods.

“We've dealt with bandits and scoundrels before. We're stronger than we look, good General.” The elders had scoffed. “Not all ships that land here come for trade. They think because they have fancy gadgets that we are weak. We send them packing.”

“You don't understand.” Koz persisted. “They can darken your dreams and lay waste to a world in short time. They feed on hope, on good feelings.”

“You may search for them, we will not interfere.” another spoke up. “But be warned, we've our own forest spirit roaming the darkness. Perhaps it will freeze them in their tracks for you. Or perhaps you will be frozen instead. Good luck.”

The woods beyond the little village were dark, full of tall pines whose branches were so thick they blocked out the light. It was cool, and the fresh scent of pine needles filled the air. There was a bit of snow here and there, though the heavy cover above kept the ground mostly free of it. Koz took a deep breath. It felt good to breathe something besides recycled air, and the lack of technology and bright lights was refreshing. It made him miss his country villa even more, but he'd be there soon enough. First, though, these damned Pirates. And just what was this forest spirit the village elders had mentioned?

“Are you certain the Pirates landed here?” Kozmotis turned to Falchion.

“Yes, General. I'm getting strong Shadow readings from the sensors in this direction.” She held up a compass-like instrument. “ And I can feel them, but faintly. All this nature is messing with my senses.” She sniffed. “I haven't been on a world with this much life in ages, I almost forgot how overwhelming it is.”

As they continued down the trail, Koz felt as if they were being watched. The farther they went, the more he was certain of it. Someone was following them, just out of sight. He doubted it was a Pirate, they couldn't keep quiet that long and Falchion certainly would have noticed if one was this close, even with the interference. He gestured for his team to stop. As they did, Koz caught the briefest glimmer of movement off to his side. Shimmering gold eyes focused, and he lunged forward like a hunting cat. The young man hiding in the underbrush was fast, but the Shining General was faster, even in his armor.

“Let me GO!” The white-haired shadow snarled as Koz lifted him easily by the collar. He was slender, dressed in dark clothing of green, brown, and blue that blended into the dappled light of the forest. Brilliant sapphire eyes glared at Koz from below thick salt-and-pepper brows.

“Who are you, boy? And why are you following us?” Koz met that frigid gaze. The boy didn't answer, struggling furiously to free himself. “I highly doubt you are an ally of the Pirates we are seeking, so you should get back to the village now. These creatures are dangerous, it wouldn't do to have you getting in the way.”

The young man stopped struggling at that. “Pirates? You're hunting Dream Pirates?” He seemed to speak Lunar well enough, though it sounded as if he hadn't used it in quite some time.

“Yes. And only a fool would be out alone with them roaming free.” Koz glared pointedly. It was the look he gave people when he needed them to stop talking, and it usually worked. Apparently this urchin didn't get the memo.

“Hey, I can take care of myself, Sir Shiny. And besides, I'm not from that stupid village.”

“Have care how you talk, brat.”

The strange young man grinned, one pale hand wrapping around Koz's wrist. He felt a sudden, searing cold. It was so unexpected that, despite himself, he flinched. The slim figure in his grip took advantage of the opening, pulling himself free. Koz's eyes widened. “What-”

“ _Hehe_. I told you. I can take care of myself.” Blue ice formed around the boy's arms, and he favored the other man with an impudent smirk. “They call me the evil Forest Spirit. The one who will freeze you solid in an instant. These are _my_ woods, my home.”

Koz glared. Elementals were rare, but not unheard of. As fascinating as this boy was, whoever he was, Koz had other things to worry about. He turned toward his men once more. They had to find those creatures before they began to feed off of the dreams of the world's inhabitants. If they were anywhere near here, no doubt the commotion caused by this little skirmish had alerted them to the warriors' presence.

“If you will not return to the village, then at least stay out of our way, and be on your guard. I don't want to have to rescue you from those villains.” Koz began striding down the trail with a purpose, not looking back. There was no response from the boy with the sparkling blue eyes. Good, maybe he'd stay out of trouble. He obviously knew how to take care of himself, if the villagers called him an evil forest spirit. Hopefully. The small band of star warriors moved deeper into the woods. For several minutes, there was no sound other than the occasional call of a bird, and the crunching of gravel underfoot.

“So, these pirates. What do they look like anyway?” Koz nearly jumped out of his armor, finding himself once again staring into two pools of sparkling sapphire. The young man was hanging by his knees from a tree branch growing over the path. The General hadn't even heard him approach this time. Either he was getting slow or this brat was better than he thought. He struggled to keep his composure. “Get. Down. From. There.”

The sprite swung down easily, landing on the dead leaves without a sound. “My name's Jack, by the way. What's yours?”

Koz glared again, and _Jack_ just pouted up innocently at him. Perhaps he should just apprehend the young man for now and deal with him later. He was going to get himself killed at this rate. He'd give the idiot one more chance. “Go home now, _Jack_. Or I shall have to resort to drastic measures.”  
“Already told you, I am home. If you don't tell me your name I'll just stick with Sir Shiny.”

“General Pitchiner!”

Kozmotis whirled at Falchion's cry. Well, they didn't need to look for the Pirates anymore. The creatures had found them. They must have realized the forest dulled Falchion's senses, and now the warriors found themselves surrounded by a ragtag assortment of rovers, all wielding sharp blades and unnerving sneers. Koz stepped in front of Jack, staring coolly at the surrounding Pirates. “Well, boy. That should answer both of your questions. We will handle these devils. Stay back, there aren't too many.” He drew his blade of shining silver. “I've seen worse. Much, much worse.”

With a terrible cry, the Pirates fell upon the little group. It wasn't much of a battle though, his crew was more than a match for these scoundrels. Unlike the asteroid cave, they could see the creatures more easily, even if the landscape made movement difficult. They'd capture who they could, march them back to the ship, and continue on their way. Finally. The battle was over in minutes. As his eyes traveled over the captured Pirates, Koz realized that one was missing. Where was the captain of this lot? For that matter...where was Jack? The pale little imp was nowhere in sight.

There was a yelp from above, and two more Pirates came crashing down from the trees overhead. “Pitchiner! There's more up here!” Jack's voice rang out. Koz saw him in a nearby tree, brandishing an icy stick as if it were a sword. “The were gonna drop a net on you but I got-” A shadowy shape materialized behind the pale boy, covering his mouth with an inky hand. The Dream Pirate captain laughed eerily.

“Jack!” Koz tightened his grip on his sword. That idiot.

“What have I found here?” The captain hissed. “A little hostage, perhaps?” His grin was malicious. “Perhaps we can trade, good General. You release my crew. We are almost done with our repairs. We will finish up here, and before we head on our merry way, I'll give you the boy. I am getting quite tired of you constantly thwarting us.” His tone turned to mock innocence. “When all we desire is to get back to sailing the stars.”

Koz's lip curled in a snarl. If they agreed, there was no way he and his men could return to their own ship in time to catch the Pirates again. He wasn't even sure at this point how far away the village was. The scoundrels would be halfway out of the solar system by the time everything was straightened out, and the Pirate captain probably wouldn't keep his word anyway, but Kozmotis couldn't just leave Jack up there with him.

The Shining General lowered his blade. He had little choice right now, but maybe it would allow him some time to formulate a better plan. “Very well. But know that if you harm him in any way, I will hunt you down, no matter how far you run.” Koz gave the Pirate captain one final, hard glare before gesturing to the warriors behind him.

They released the captured crew. The captain slithered down from his perch, still restraining Jack. The dark creatures glared at the golden warriors, then began a wary retreat back into the shadows. If they hurt that boy... Koz watched them helplessly. This was supposed to be a simple in-and-out mission. Now there was a life on the line. _That. Idiot_. Pirates rarely killed their victims since it was the feelings of the living they fed off of, but this lot was particularly determined to escape capture.

He stared into the darkness. By now, evening had fallen, and it was nearly complete blackness below the pines. He couldn't see or hear anything of the Pirates even with his sharp senses, and when he glanced at Falchion she shook her head. Koz growled low in his throat and resigned himself to setting up a camp. He was not leaving this blasted forest without Jack.

Things were quiet for some time. If there were animals wandering the nighttime woods, even they were silent. Koz considered trying to send some scouts out after the pirates, but the risk was too great. In this darkness the Pirates had the advantage once again. He paced the campsite, hands balled into fists.

Suddenly, there was a commotion from the direction the Pirate crew had vanished, muffled by the deep woods but still quite obvious. Kozmotis lunged forward, blade in hand. He raced toward the source of the sound, long legs eating up the distance rapidly. The shouts grew louder, and there was a brilliant flash of blinding white and blue, bright enough to light up the surrounding woods. What in the name of the Constellations...

It couldn't have been lightning. The bits of sky visible through the canopy above revealed bright stars, and there was no accompanying thunder. Koz shot through the undergrowth without a second thought. As he got closer to the scene of the bright flash, the ground below him suddenly changed to mirror-smooth ice, and he nearly lost his footing.

He caught himself, and glanced around. This entire section of the forest was completely frozen over, shimmering blue ice covering every surface. The Pirate crew and their captain were frozen solid in the center of a small clearing. The ice-encrusted Pirate vessel was behind them, the repairs nearly complete. There was no sign of Jack, but Koz thought he saw a faint blue light retreating back through the trees.

“Jack!” Koz's golden eyes scanned the frozen clearing, but there was no sign of the strange boy. He strode toward the captain, but his questions would have to wait, the creature was frozen too solid to speak. Koz ordered them to be chained up. He would get an answer out of the vile things one way or another once they thawed, which looked like it might take a while.

A few minutes later, Koz felt, rather than heard, the pale young man drop down next to him from the trees. “See, I told you I could handle myself.” Jack's voice sounded tired as he adjusted his torn and rumpled tunic. “They weren't so tough.” Koz didn't know whether he wanted to hug the moron or smack him upside the head. He settled with groaning.

“They could have killed you.”

“Nah, not me. I seen worse.”

Once the Pirates thawed enough to move, Koz marched them captain and all in the direction Jack assured him was toward the village. The young man trotted beside him, exhausted but quite proud of himself. “And you seemed to think they'd be a problem. Aren't you going to thank me for catching them all for you?” Brilliant azure eyes gazed up into Koz's. He scowled and turned away.

“You were lucky. Extremely lucky. It is the job of the warriors of the Golden Armies to deal with these creatures, not forest sprites from some backwater world. Perhaps one day, though, you will not have to worry about these creatures and their ilk ever again.”

The Pirate captain gave a choking laugh. “You will never win, Kozmotis Pitchiner. There will always be more Dream Pirates. More Fearlings and Nightmare Men. More darkness,” he hissed.

Koz forced him onward. “Be that as it may, the Knights of the Constellations will always be here to stop them. Now, move.”

“Kozmotis? I thought your first name was General.” Jack smirked. He led them to the forest's edge, and there he paused. “They don't like magic.” He waved in the direction of the spaceport. “They think I'm a devil, an evil spirit. So I stay here. But what I really want...” Sapphire eyes turned toward the stars shining above. “I want to go there, I want to see the stars. I belong up there, I _know_ it.” He stared at Koz. “Take me with you. Maybe I can learn to use this power. I don't even really know wha- _who_ I am. What I did back there...I ...I don't really know how. It just happens, I can't really control it. I think that's why they're so scared of me. I can do terrible things, but... But if I could master it...”

Koz sighed. “I cannot take you with me, boy. Like it or not this is your world, and you belong here. Use your power to protect these good people from the darkness within this world, and I will protect them from that without.”

Jack stared at him in silence, and Koz turned away from that frigid gaze. He ordered his prisoners onward toward the village lights, leaving the strange boy with the ice powers glowering in the forest shadows. Koz was exhausted. Falchion and the warriors were exhausted. They would load the prisoners onto the _Alnilam_ , get some supplies for the journey back, and get some rest. The next morning, they would set sail for the Eternal City, and the prison ship could meet them on the way. Smooth sailing. Koz rubbed his temples. Just another glorious day in the life of the Shining General.

  
  


 


	4. Catch a Comet by the Tail

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things just keep getting worse for Koz, and he discovers the hard way that there's a stowaway on his ship.

Leaving the little forested world behind, the _Alnilam_ took to the stars once more. They could finally head home to the Eternal City, but even without interruption the trip wouldn't be swift. They were still in the Outer Reaches, and it would take several days, possibly even a week at full speed just to get back to anything resembling civilized space. After that, it would be another week at the very least before they reached the City. That was the optimistic estimate. Still, it was a giant leap in the right direction. If Koz had to see one more asteroid colony he was going to scream.

As it was, he settled for a loud groan instead. He was standing on the bridge, glaring daggers at the map projection. The _Alnilam_ was about as far off course as it was possible to be. He couldn't even say they were in the middle of nowhere, because that would be an improvement. This was so far beyond Nowhere that it might as well be Absolutely Nothing At All. _Oh well_. It was all part of the job, and if he really hated it he wouldn't be standing here on the bridge of the Constellations' biggest, brightest galleon. The asteroid miners were safe, and so were the inhabitants of that little backwater world. In the end, that's what really mattered.

After about a day of travel, the prison ship met up with them (prison ships being the only regular vessels in the space beyond the galactic discs) and the Dream Pirates were marched off and locked up. Koz was all too glad to be rid of them, and the crew seemed visibly relieved as well. No one liked being stuck with the dark little creatures, even aboard a vessel like the _Alnilam_. They wore on the mind and spirit after a time, no matter how many sunstone or moonbeam wards were in place.

For the next few days, things were quiet, and Koz was more than grateful for that. Headquarters kept their word, and there were no more urgent requests requiring the specific attentions of General Kozmotis Pitchiner and his Glorious Crew. The transmissions they did receive were full of the usual chatter: general galactic news, the adventures of the other fleets, astrowildlife updates from the Rangers, and the occasional local news blips from whatever planet they happened to be passing. These last began to steadily increase in number, an occurrence that heralded the return to civilized space.

Koz should have known that something would choose that moment to go horribly wrong. He was just leaving his quarters for the morning, heading down a hallway toward the _Alnilam_ 's bridge when alarms began to blare in the direction of the cargo hold. Yeah, that was definitely not a good sign. There were no drills scheduled for today. Koz altered his course with a muttered curse, racing for the nearest lifts. There was a knot of armored officers huddled around it already. The question hadn't even left Koz's lips when one of them spoke up.

“There is an unidentified life form in the cargo hold, General-” he began, but then pressed a hand to the communicator at his ear. “Correction, there _was_ an unidentified life form in the cargo hold...but it broke free before they could close the shield doors. It's fast and it can fly. Not an astrobat, too big, and no wings.”

The lift doors opened, and Koz shoved his way inside. “Keep it on Level 1, see if they can herd it back into the hold.” His mind raced. Ever since they accidentally woke a hibernating baby Asteroid Eater that had somehow ended up in load of cargo, Koz had made certain that the hold was reinforced and equipped to handle the occasional hitchhiking astrowildlife. If they could get whatever-it-was back there, then they could contact the Rangers. Let Aster take care of it.

Of course, by the time he reached Level 1, the thing had gone up one of the other lift shafts and was now on Level 2. This was full of (now-empty) cells that would have also sufficed to trap the invader had it not continued bouncing up the shaft to Level 3, where it blew past several guards and somehow worked its way up to the enclosed walkway that ran around the living quarters on Level 4. This was a wide path that encircled the _Alnilam_ , with huge viewing windows of reinforced diamondglass on the outer portion, looking out to the stars. It was used for relaxed strolling, the closest thing the starship had to the great outdoors.

It was here that Koz finally got a look at the stowaway. Alarms were blaring all around and lights were flashing. Above the noise, he could hear shouts up ahead. Koz raced down the pathway on long legs, and as he turned a corner something long and _cold_ shot past him, glowing brilliant blue-white and bouncing off every surface it came into contact with like a pinball. Wherever it hit, ice blossomed out from the impact, shimmering in the flashing glow of the emergency lights.

 

 

“That's...uh, that's not what it looked like earlier,” said one of the officers beside Koz, gaping after the creature. The Shining General stopped in his tracks.

A Comet. There was a Comet. Loose. On his ship.

 _How_.

It could cause serious damage if it kept ramming into things like that. Koz stared at the icy walls, trying to drown out the sounds around him enough to think. He remembered the strange blue-eyed young man from the little planet. The one who had ice powers. Who had single-handedly frozen a crew of Dream Pirates, who the villagers said was a monster, and who insisted he belonged among the stars. Jack Frost. Koz slapped a hand to his forehead. It had to be, this was too much of a coincidence. Somehow the brat must have sneaked aboard the _Alnilam_ that day, and been hiding in the cargo hold ever since.

He must have been in human form when the crew found him, hence the officer's earlier comment. If Jack really didn't know what he was, if he thought that what the villagers said was true, that he was a monster...He must be absolutely terrified right now, especially with the lights and sirens. He'd probably never experienced anything like that in the forest. Koz shook himself. Terrified or not, they had to stop Jack before he destroyed something, hurt himself, or both.

Heat. They needed heat. That should wear him out faster, and hopefully keep him from freezing anyone. Koz scowled. There was really only one place he could think of that might do the trick, but he really didn't like the idea of herding a crazed Comet into the heart of the _Alnilam._ The engine room was both hot and heavily fortified. Jack might still cause a great deal of damage, as frantic as he was, but with enough advance warning Engineering could probably figure out a way to minimize it. At the very least, it was the one place Jack would have a hard time destroying.

Koz sent a transmission to Engineering to let them know the plan as he raced down the corridor after the Comet. Now, it was a matter of forcing Jack to go where Koz needed him to. Since the noise and lights were undoubtedly frightening him, Koz ordered the alarms on the lower levels turned off. His hope was that Jack would head back toward the quieter areas, and they could close off each level as he went. Groups of officers raced by as the crew prepared for the rampaging Comet.

Koz made his way swiftly to the engine room, stationing guards along the passages of each level in order to spook the little Comet down the correct corridors. For once, things actually appeared to be going as Koz hoped. After trying to double back several times, and nearly freezing Falchion's tail, Jack burst into the engine room like a miniature blizzard. _Well, the first half of the plan worked._

Now Koz just had to hope that Jack would tire enough for them to subdue him. The Comet wasn't willing to comply just yet though, ricocheting off the walls and massive engine casings frantically, leaving little patches of swiftly melting ice. Koz tried calling to him, but to no avail. Jack was too terrified to listen. The General ducked as the glowing creature shot by his head. This was getting nowhere, and at this rate he might actually take out an engine.

The heat was slowing him, but it was taking its sweet time to do so. Jack began to fly lower, his movements becoming less erratic, though he still bounced off the walls in an attempt to escape. Koz finally saw his chance and grabbed the Comet's long, glowing tail as he tried to zip by again. Jack gave a startled yowl, his forward motion becoming a rapid spin like a beetle on a string. He whirled, loosing a blast of ice at Koz that forced him to leap back and release his hold. Jack, however, misjudged his own speed and slammed into the wall as if launched from a slingshot.

He crumpled to the ground in front of one of the heated engine casings, panting, his glow beginning to dim. As Koz approached cautiously, he sat up, shaking his head with a soft groan. The Comet's multicolor eyes widened when he saw Koz, and he tensed, trying to back up against the hot metal without actually touching it.

“Jack,” Koz began, trying to keep his voice soft. The kid was shaking like a leaf, pointed ears and winglike fins drooping.

“I-I'm not a monster,” Jack's eyes darted around the room and he licked his lips. “I just wanted to get off of that little rock...I didn't mean to...to freeze everything.” He tried to make himself as small as possible. “I'm not a monster, I swear. I just can't change back, but I'm not-”

“No, you are not.” Koz stared down at him. “You are however, a nuisance and a stowaway. And, you nearly broke my ship. I can't have you rocketing about like that.”

Jack stared up at him, seemingly confused by Koz's words. “You're...not afraid of me?”

“You look like you swallowed a pack of glowsticks. Hardly intimidating.” Koz crossed his arms. “You're a Comet. I've never heard of one falling to earth like this before, but it appears you did. Your kind aren't common at all, so it's no wonder the people of that world didn't know what you were. I've been sailing the stars for centuries and even I've never actually met one.”

He leaned forward, intending to help the frightened Comet up. That was a mistake. Koz hadn't realized that the officers behind him had their blasters out. Jack noticed the weapons immediately and coiled his body like a cat getting ready to pounce. Before Koz could even open his mouth, the boy attempted to launch himself toward the exit. The tall Celestial cursed under his breath and lunged, unhooking the cape from his shoulders as he did so. “Oh no, you don't. Not again.”

He threw himself onto the smaller being before Jack could take to the air again. After several moments of frantic scuffling, loud protests, and frozen fingers, Koz succeeded in trapping the protesting stowaway in the crimson material. He wrapped it tightly around Jack's slim frame like a cocoon, with the Comet's spiky-haired head sticking out of one end, and several feet of tail trailing out the other. _Gods, finally_. Jack struggled, but he could do little more than roll feebly.

“Let me go! You can't put me in a cage! It's too hot here, I'm going to melt. _Let me go_!”

Koz lifted him easily, draping him over one shoulder. “As I was saying. I can't have you rocketing around freezing everything in sight.” He strode toward the exit, giving the engineers a grateful and slightly apologetic nod. Jack was right about one thing, it _was_ hot in here, and Koz didn't want to risk hurting him further.

“You-you can't just lock me up,” the Comet continued protesting. “I caught those Pirates for you.”

“You stowed away on my ship. I've every right to lock you up.” Koz made sure that all of Jack's tail made it through the shield doors before they closed.

“I couldn't stay there. You saw what that world was like, I was trapped there for centuries. And you just said yourself, I'm a Comet. That means I belong here, right?”

“No, you belong among the stars, not on my ship.”

“Same thing!”

Koz sighed. He really couldn't just lock Jack up, now that he knew the situation. True, the young man was a stowaway, but a Comet did belong in space. Celestial Bodies were rather outside the normal rules. Koz knew he couldn't just send Jack on his way, though. The kid didn't even know what he was until a few minutes ago. He'd be completely helpless. No, now that he was here Koz would have to bring him back to the Eternal City. There, maybe they had a chance of finding out something useful in the Archives.

The problem remained of just what to do with him in the meantime. Imprisoning Jack was out of the question, and he was too flighty to roam the crew living quarters. Stars forbid something spooked him again and sent him on another rampage. Koz could still feel him shaking, heart pounding in his thin chest. For now at least, he'd need someplace quiet where he could feel safe.

With a groan, Koz had to acknowledge that his quarters would be the most secure, and least prison-like. They consisted of a small entryway that led into two large, private, airy rooms. He could set Jack up in one of them, at least until he was sure that the Comet could be moved into the main living quarters without causing too much trouble. He'd also be able to keep an eye on Jack personally. Even if he had to stay there the entire trip, they should be home in a week. Assuming nothing else went horribly wrong. Hopefully the Comet could keep calm that long.

Koz headed for the lift to his quarters, pausing only to pick up a restraint collar from the guards and request that some food be brought up. With the grumbling Comet still draped over his shoulder, he rode the lift to the next stop and continued down the hallway, passing through the ornate wooden doors leading into the little entryway. There were certain perks to being the Shining General, and his lavish rooms on the _Alnilam_ were one of them. The architects of the Golden Age didn't believe in doing anything halfway, even when it came to military ships. The space beyond the entry was his study/sitting room, but he passed through it to the bedroom, dumping the bundled Comet ungracefully onto the mattress of the huge bed.

“Whoa.” Jack actually stopped wriggling, staring around in awe.

Koz was about to untie him, but he noticed several angry-looking patches of red glowing along the Comet's shimmering tail. Jack hadn't escaped his rampage unscathed, and Koz wasn't sure just how resilient the kid was, especially knowing he'd been hiding out in the cargo hold for days. Maybe Koz could take him to Med Bay later, once he'd calmed down. For now though, he retrieved some ointment from a nearby cabinet and set about dabbing some on the glowing red patches, little bruises and tears in the thin membrane. Jack yowled and wriggled like an angry inchworm, and Koz was glad he'd left him bound.

“That hurts, damn it. Untie me!”

“Or what, you'll flop around more?” Koz glanced at him. “You're really not in a position to be making demands, you do realize?” He returned the ointment to the cabinet. “You're hurt, I'm just trying to help.”  
“You chased me into that boiling room and grabbed my tail, it's your fault.” Jack glared.

“Perhaps if you hadn't tried to destroy my ship, I wouldn't have had to.” Koz contemplated the pouting Comet for a moment, then picked up a sunstone from the collection of rocks and crystals next to the cabinet. The silver restraint collar that he'd obtained had special slots that different wards could be set into. Sunstones were useful for beings of cold or darkness. He fixed the stone in place, and held up the collar. “You don't seem to have very good control of your powers, from what I understand. You are not a prisoner, but I request that you wear this. It will aid in holding back your magic. It won't harm you, I promise.”

Jack scowled at him and struggled against his bonds. When they gave no sign of loosening, he gave up and grumbled “Fine”.

Only once he had secured the collar did Koz begin untying the knotted cape. As soon as the material fell away Jack leapt off the bed, onto the cabinet, and then up to the bed's canopy. Even with the sunstone, he could still fly and use some of his magic, but his movements were noticeably slower, his glow dimmer. Jack curled his tail around himself so that it was safely out of reach and glared down at Koz.

“Don't look at me like that. You're the one who decided to sneak aboard. I could still lock you up, you know. You really have caused me a great deal of trouble.” Koz glanced at him calmly. Now that things had settled down, it was hard for him to be truly angry at Jack. He couldn't imagine what it must have been like to be a creature of the stars, earthbound for centuries, alone, not knowing anything about himself, suddenly finding himself in a place unlike anything he'd ever known. Of course, Jack had brought this last upon himself. He was certainly a determined little creature, and reminded Koz a great deal of Seraphina.

Jack's luminous ears perked up suddenly, and his gaze turned toward the other room. A moment later, there was a knock on the door. Koz rose, keeping an eye on the Comet as he headed to answer. The food he'd ordered had arrived, and he returned to the bedroom with a large tray full of various meats, fruit, and cheese. If he was going to be stuck with Jack for a week or more, then they may as well make peace with one another, and the way to most beings' hearts was through their stomachs. Koz wasn't even certain if Comets ate regular food, but a soft growling from above told him that this one was hungry.

Jack's impish face appeared over the edge of the canopy. After a moment of what appeared to be intense internal debate, he glided down to land lightly by Koz's side, glancing warily at him. When Koz offered no resistance, Jack grabbed a piece of meat, tearing at it hungrily while continuing to keep an eye on the Celestial. Manners apparently weren't his strong suit. Then again, he had been living alone in a forest for the past few centuries, Koz reminded himself. As Jack continued to chew and glare, the taller man held up his hands in placation. “It's alright. The food's not going anywhere, and there's more if you want it. Eat as much as you desire.”

Jack took him up on the offer eagerly, earlier anger forgotten. After devouring a few more delicacies he began to relax a little, even edging closer to Koz. Now that he wasn't doing a pinball impression down the ship's corridors, the General was able to get a good look at his new guest. He'd never seen anything quite like the Comet in all his long centuries of space travel.

Jack had the same sunken eyes and angular chin as his human form, and the same slender frame, broad shoulders and slim hips. His pale purple-white hair was longer, though it still stood in fluffy spikes, and reflected the surrounding light in a myriad of colors. The skin on his stomach and limbs was a pale, cool tan. His back, shoulders, and hips were a translucent blue, and had a light covering of clear white scales that looked like shattered ice. A pair of wing-like fins, still slightly crumpled from being tied up, sprouted from the Comet's back, and his luminous tail was about half again as long as his body. Colors rippled through the thin membrane like an aurora, shimmering turquoise except for the fading red blotches. His hands and feet also glowed a faint turquoise, tipped with icy claws. They were blunt now, but Koz was sure they'd been sharp before, when he'd grabbed the meat. Maybe they were retractable? Koz found him fascinating, even if the idiot had nearly destroyed the _Alnilam_.

If Jack noticed Koz staring, he gave no indication. He stretched and yawned, revealing a pair of icy fangs. He'd cleared the entire tray of food, and his slender stomach bulged slightly as he flopped back on the bed. “That was...amazing.” He lay there for several moments, staring blankly up at the ceiling, before rolling over with visible effort and crawling back to the center of the bed, where he curled up on Koz's cape and promptly fell asleep.

Koz watched him for a time, but it looked like he was well and truly passed out. After all that the little Comet had been through, he'd hopefully remain in a stupor long enough for Koz to get everything on the ship straightened out. The stars outside his window had barely moved the entire time they'd been here, and that didn't bode well. With a final glance at the sleeping Comet, Koz heaved another sigh and headed for the door. It was the only way in or out of his quarters, and even if Jack did wake up he wouldn't make it past the two guards Koz made sure to post outside it. He resigned himself to receive whatever bad news Engineering undoubtedly had for him, and headed down the hallway.

 


	5. Icebreaker

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Koz must deal with the aftermath of Jack's misadventures on the ship as the Comet learns to settle in.

The _Alnilam's_ corridors were still in a flurry of activity as Koz made his way back to the engine room. Several lifts were stalled due to still-frozen gears, and every so often he'd pass a jagged starburst of luminous blue-white ice from where the Comet had struck an obstacle in the hallway. Most of the damage, as far as he knew, was restricted to the crew living quarters on Level 4, and even that was more in the form of inconvenience than actual destruction. Many of the off-duty crew memebers had attempted to take cover in their quarters during the rampage, and were now trapped behind thick sheets of shining ice that teams were busy defrosting. From the sound of things most were cold but unharmed. Koz got some curious looks as he prowled through the crowds, and more than a few questions about their new guest. These he waved away, finding out the status of the engines was his first priority right now. He trusted the Medical and Tech teams to deal with Jack's ice for the time being.

As he waited for one of the functioning lifts, Koz rubbed his temples, trying to drown out the surrounding clamor. He didn't even want to think about what would have happened if Jack had actually been _trying_ to destroy his ship. At least he hadn't seriously injured anyone, though it did sound like there were a few frostbitten noses/tails/fingers. His lift didn't appear to be in any hurry to arrive, so he stopped a passing lieutenant to get a more detailed report of the situation.

Aside from the frozen doors, it turned out that Jack had knocked out the lights in several corridor sections. The worst bit of true damage that they'd discovered was that the climate controls on the cell block had been shorted out, but seeing as the cells were currently unoccupied it wasn't a major issue. Jack had also toppled several cargo crates in the hold, but Maintenance was already on it. Koz thanked the lieutenant and sent him on his way. So far, nothing that couldn't be fixed with a bit of elbow grease and heat.

The engines, however, were another story, as he found when lift finally arrived to take him to the _Alnilam_ 's blazing heart. At first, nothing seemed amiss to Koz, but he really wasn't the technical type. Battle strategy and team command, no problem. A pile of metal and blinking lights? Let someone else deal with it. As far as he could tell, everything looked, sounded, and felt just as loud and hot as always. The steady, deep rumbling of the Alnilam's four great engines filled his ears, yet he remembered how the stars outside his window hadn't moved. “Tell me you have good news,” he called out to the Head Mechanic, a hulking troll-like being named Jasper.

“I do. We haven't caught fire and exploded. And apparently the kitchen's still in good shape,” Jasper grunted. When Koz didn't smile, he shook his tusked head and gestured with an oversize but dexterous hand. “But seriously, we've got a slight problem.”

“How slight?”

“Engine One. Metal, even these casings, can't take a constant drastic temperature change, and your little stowaway had a grudge against this one in particular. His aim was impeccable.” Jasper led Koz up to one of the looming, cylindrical casings. A long crack had appeared in the metal, faint golden light pouring through. “Every time he hit it, he somehow managed to freeze it solid. Don't know how something so small could be so strong. Then it defrosted, and he hit it again. And again. Hot, cold, hot, cold. That would shatter even the strongest sword.”

Koz nodded absently, staring at the crack. Jasper had a way of explaining things in Koz's language. “And what, exactly, does this mean? Can you fix it, or are we dead in the air?”

“Not quite to both, General.” Jasper turned away for a moment to issue some directions to a cluster of mechanics, then continued. “The other three engines are fine, and we can run at sublight no problem, a bit faster if we catch a starwind with the sails. But, without all of 'em up and running we don't have a reliable warp drive.”

Gods, could this trip get any worse? Koz groaned. He was going to strangle Jack, Celestial Body or not. “So we _are_ stranded, for all intensive purposes.”

“Didn't say that,” grunted the Head Mechanic, holding up a claw. “We _can_ patch it, but we don't have the materials to fully repair damage this extensive on board. But,” he continued, “there is a planet nearby, Nozama, where I believe we can get the necessary goods. It's a good thing this didn't happen in the Outer Reaches. The temporary patch should hold long enough to make the jump.”

“And if it doesn't?” Koz stared.

“Oh, we won't explode or anything, General. It's our pride that'll take a hit more than anything. If worse comes to worse we get jolted outta hyperspace, a few bumps all around, and we'll have to call a tow ship. I know it ain't the most dignified manner of arrival but hey,” he shrugged. “Not the end of the world. Coulda been much, much worse.”

Koz glared up at the offending crack. “Assuming your team patches this up now, how long to the planet?”

“About a day by my calculations. Bit longer if we gotta wait for a tow. You know how they are in these parts. Course, the fact that we're the _Alnilam_ should speed 'em up a bit.”

Another day or more. Wonderful. Koz left Jasper and his team to their work and headed back to the lift. The Shining General forced himself to find a bright side in all of this as he returned to the coolness and relative quiet of the outer corridor. This detour would at least be to a civilized world, and he could let the crew disembark for a Dream-Pirate-free breath of fresh air and sunlight. It was the least he could do for them, since a the rate things were going there was no sure sign that this blasted journey was even close to its end. Also, replenishing the ship's food stores probably wasn't a bad idea. He sent word to the bridge so they could notify the crew of the situation, then decided to check back in on his guest. Hopefully Jack hadn't caused even more trouble while he was making the rounds.

The door guards reported no trouble, and the entrance hall was ice-free as Koz stepped through. Prowling across his study to the bedroom, he found the Comet was no longer curled up on top of his cape. There was, however, a Jack-size lump beneath the covers. Koz stepped quietly to the foot of the bed. He wasn't certain if the Comet was asleep or attempting to hide. If the latter, he wasn't doing a very good job of it. In addition to the mound under the covers, several feet of luminescent tail protruded from the comforter's far edge, draping up over the pillows. The tip twitched occasionally.

As Koz stood there, the lump began to slowly edge closer to the foot of the bed.

The tall Celestial leaned forward, lifting the edge of the covers before it reached its goal, revealing a pair of wide multicolored eyes beneath a mop of pale hair. “You know, most people sleep with their heads on the pillows. At least, that's how us earthbound folk do.” Jack's only response was to stick out a turquoise tongue, trying to pretend his fun hadn't been ruined. Koz glared. “You have succeeded in breaking my ship, do you know that?” He sighed. “Thanks to you we have been further delayed in our journey home, and we will need to stop at the next world we come to in order to make repairs to the engine.”

Jack's face fell, ears drooping. “I didn't mean to...I swear...” He retreated back beneath the bed-covers.

Koz's expression softened. “I still have much to attend to today. You will remain here, and behave yourself. But, if you so much as freeze a window I will shoot you out of one of the cannons, so help me.”

Jack averted his shimmering eyes. “I'm sorry. I'll behave, I promise. You...wouldn't really do that, would you?” He was silent for a moment, gazing at Koz thoughtfully, then his ears perked up. “If I'm good, will you take me with you down to that planet? I want to see new worlds! I'll stay right beside you, and I swear I'll follow orders. _Sir._ ” He attempted a clumsy salute.

Koz crossed his arms, staring down at the Comet with the expression he used to give Seraphina when she was being stubborn. Jack had made it onto his ship without his permission, and Koz got the impression he would follow him off it in the same manner. Still, the Shining General could at least maintain the image of control in this situation. He retrieved his cape from the bed, hooking it back in its proper place. “I will think on it. If this room is still in one piece and free of ice when I return. In the meantime, you should continue to rest. There are many books to read in the study, and that small control by the bed is for the vidscreen. I'm sure you can figure it out, and you may be able to find a few stations that come in.” He paused in the doorway. “I will send someone up with food shortly. Don't get any ideas on trying to bully your way past them, though, I've a few crew members with good control of fire magic.”

 

Leaving the pouting Comet behind, Koz returned to the main hall. A few officers peered around the corner as he strode forward, but they vanished as soon as they caught him looking. Koz hadn't even thought about what the crew's reaction to their new guest would be now that things had settled down. They had traveled from one end of the cosmos to the other, but most hand probably never seen anything quite like Jack Frost. There were going to be plenty of curious folk trying to get a look at him.

Koz hadn't informed headquarters yet, either. He knew he'd have to eventually. Celestial Bodies such as Comets and wandering Stars were outside of the jurisdiction of the Constellations, and were generally allowed to do as they pleased unless their actions posed a danger to civilized worlds, but headquarters liked to keep tabs on them if one did appear since information was scarce. Aside from his superiors and the _Alnilam_ 's crew, Koz decided it would be best if no one else found out about Jack. Even in this Golden Age, there were people who would see a Comet as nothing more then a way to make a profit. Slavers and traders in exotic fauna wouldn't think twice about capturing him and selling him on the black market. Koz would have to figure out how to best keep tabs on him once they reached Nozama. If Jack went and got himself captured, Koz was _not_ going to take a further detour to rescue his sparkly little ass. At least, that's what he told himself as he hurried toward the bridge.

Most of the crew quarters doors were finally defrosted, and the lift seemed to be fully up and running. Koz nodded apologetically to a few officers sporting bruises as he sped by. Falchion caught up with him before he reached the lifts. “How is our guest?” She trotted alongside him.

“Sulking around in my quarters, but he seems content to stay there for now. He doesn't say it but his little rampage wore him out more than he'd like to admit, I think.”

“That was a lot of ice for one little Comet,” she acknowledged. “Are they all that strong, I wonder? Still, a Comet. I never thought I'd get to see one, let alone up close.”

“A sentiment I'm sure the rest of the crew shares. However, I don't wish for them to share it with anyone else. Colonel, I will be making an announcement to the entire ship once I get to the bridge, but make sure this lot does not let word of Jack's presence get out.” Falchion nodded and bounded off.

Above Level 4, things were proceeding fairly normally. Jack hadn't made it any higher than the crew quarters, fortunately. If he had managed to get into the research rooms, or Medical, or the hangars... Koz pushed the thoughts from his mind. The threat was, at least temporarily, neutralized. All that remained was figuring out how best to proceed. On these upper levels, he got even more curious and somewhat hopeful looks. The crew that had missed the excitement of Jack's adventures were hoping for a glance of the Comet, but they quickly went back to their business when they realized Koz was alone.

Almost as soon as he reached the bridge, Koz received a message from Jasper that they were ready to attempt the jump. “I'm keepin' an eye on this thing, but just be prepared for a sudden stop.”

 _Here goes nothing_ , Koz thought, knuckles white as he clutched the railing. The _Alnilam_ lurched forward, jumping to warp. After a few shaky moments, the ship's movements became steadier, and he relaxed slightly. So far, so good.

“We're on our way!” Jasper confirmed.

The rest of the day passed uneventfully, and for that Koz thanked his lucky stars by name. Over the next few hours, the ship flew smoothly through the ether, and crew activity returned to its usual level. Koz announced strict orders that no one was to speak of Jack to outsiders, and reassured them that their guest was well under control. This was met with great relief, as was the notice that they would all be getting at least a day of real earth beneath their feet and blue sky above. He also sent a transmission to the Eternal City, finally briefing them on the events leading up to the Comet's arrival on the _Alnilam_. The Tsars Lunar seemed almost amused with the whole situation, and reassured Koz that they would certainly try and aid Jack once the ship reached the Eternal City. “You always have the most fascinating adventures, General.”

“Yet I will happily settle for many weeks of rest and relaxation once I return home.”

“And you shall have them. Fly safe, Kozmotis.”

 

The _Alnilam_ was still sailing along many hours later, with only the occasional hiccup, when Koz decided there was little more he could do that day. Before returning to his quarters for the evening, he made a final round of areas that Jack had visited. Level 4 was back to normal, with only a bit of cosmetic damage to show. Level 3, Maintenance, had escaped Jack's wrath. The cells of Level 2 were still a bit too cold, but the mechanics assured him the climate controls were nearly repaired.. The cleanup of Storage Level 1 was just wrapping up, and as Koz passed through they were stacking up the last section of cargo crates that Jack had knocked over in his frenzy to escape.

Arriving back at his quarters at last, Koz discovered that Jack had made himself quite at home. The Comet had built a little nest of pillows and blankets, and a tray sat on the bedside table nearby, picked spotlessly clean of food. A book of star charts and lore was abandoned by Jack's side as he was currently busy watching the vidscreen with a glazed expression. Koz edged around to see what channel he'd found. This far out, there was a great deal of static, but it appeared to be infomercials. There was no escaping them, even in the vastness of the cosmos. Jack blinked suddenly, seeming to just now notice Koz. He pointed to the screen, still looking a bit dazed.

“Koz. What do I do to get paid? I need money.”

“No, you don't. You probably can't understand what they're saying, let alone what they're selling, and even if you could you wouldn't need it. How did you even _find_ that channel?”

“It was the only thing that came in. I pushed a bunch of buttons. This vid-thing is neat, they didn't have them back on my world.”

“And you were probably better off for it.” Koz only had the 'vid-thing' because it came with the room, and spent most of its days gathering dust. He switched the screen off, ignoring the Comet's glare. He then grabbed several blankets and pillows from Jack's nest and carried them into the study. Pushing the writing table and chair to one side, he set about making a little bed below the window. “Here, this is where you will stay.”

“But I like this bed.”

“Too bad. It belongs to me, and after all you've done today the least you can do is return it to me. Besides, you are supposed to be on your best behavior, isn't that right?”

Jack looked like he was about to protest, but his mouth snapped shut. His ears drooped again as he pondered the truth of Koz's words, and he quietly floated over to the makeshift bed clutching the book of star charts. He burrowed into the blankets, opened the book, and made a great show of appearing immensely interested in its contents. Koz decided not to point out he was holding it upside down.

Once he seemed settled, Koz straightened up his bedroom. After a hot shower in which he allowed himself a bit more time than usual, he almost could say he felt refreshed. He slid into bed, pulling out the small portable computer that Seraphina had bought him. It was the only bit of personal technology that he used regularly. Regularly meaning sending mail to Seraphina and a few others every couple of nights, and looking up the occasional bit of information. Like the vidscreen, it spent the majority of its existence in the drawer of the bedside table.

He sent his daughter a brief rundown of the day's events, Jack included. She was not the kind to speak loosely, and he knew he could trust her. She would be quite interested in Jack, of that he had no doubt. He was about to turn the little computer off once the message sent, but an idea occurred to him. He did know one person who might be able to teach him a little about Comets. Sanderson Mansnoozie was a Star Pilot, one of the best. Star Wrangling was his life, and he had traveled the cosmos for centuries. If anyone would know some useful information, it would be Sandy. He was often busy with his duties, or asleep, but Koz figured it was worth a shot on the off chance he'd get a response before they disembarked tomorrow.

As a final thought before he logged off, he looked up the planet they would be visiting. Nozama was a resource-rich world with a warm, tropical climate. Despite being so far out of the way, it was a bustling trade center with several large cities and a variety of inhabitants. Good, maybe between the climate and Jack's sunstone collar he'd actually be manageable tomorrow. Unlikely.

Koz shut down the little computer and stowed it away. With a wide yawn he switched off the lights, drawing up the covers as if they could ward off bad luck for the night. Everything smelled like Jack, a sort of cool metallic, faintly pine scent. It reminded Koz of starlight on a Winter's night. The last thing he remembered seeing before drifting off to sleep was Jack's slender, faintly glowing frame outlined against the swirling and ever changing light of hyperspace as the little Comet gazed out of the study's window.

 


	6. It's a Jungle Out There

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Alnilam lands on the jungle planet of Nozama to make repairs, and Jack gets his first taste of a new world.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'M SORRY THIS TOOK SO LONG. I'M ALIVE, I SWEAR. I'm gonna try and get back in the swing of things. Don't forget to check out the Shine Tumblr in the meantime, FrostedStarlight.

For several sleepy moments, Koz couldn't figure out what had woken him. He lay still, eyes closed, listening to the faint familiar hum of the ship's engines. The low rumble continued, a steady monotone note. Nothing amiss there. So, what was it? He gave the comforters a tug, bringing them up to cover his broad shoulders.

Cold. That's what it was.

The air around him seemed cooler than normal. Were the climate controls still broken? His mind, not yet fully awake, struggled to remember. No, the techs had assured him that aside from the cell block being a bit too cold, the other levels were back in order. Was he getting sick? That only happened once in a blue moon. Then, it must be... Gilded eyes fluttered open to be met by a faint, blueish glow. Koz sat up with a strangled yelp.

“ _Jack!_ ”

“Mmmph.” The Comet blinked sleepily up at him from his place curled at Koz's side.

“Get. Out.” Koz groaned, pinching his nose in tired irritation. “This is _my_ bed, need I remind you.”

Jack gave a toothy yawn. “But, it's comfy.” His prismatic eyes widened. “I like it. And...I,” he looked away, his words trailing off softly. “I don't want to be alone. This whole place, it's new. It smells weird and all the sounds are different and I don't think I've ever been in space before...”

“ _Go._ ” Koz pointed a long finger toward the study. He could feel sorry for the young man in the morning. “You chose this completely of your own accord. I could always find a way to send you back to your little forest, if you like. Besides, you're not alone, we're practically in the same room.”

Jack's glow dimmed, but after a moment's sullen glaring, he drifted into the air and floated back to the makeshift nest as slowly as he could manage. Koz watched him settle in, stifling an enormous yawn. Once the sulky stowaway had burrowed into the pile of blankets again, the General sighed and buried his face back into the pillows, which still smelled faintly of Comet. The kid had spent most of his life sleeping in trees, you'd think high quality blankets and down pillows would be more than comfortable enough, even if they were on the floor.

 

Koz was startled into wakefulness a second time after accidentally kicking Jack off the foot of the bed. The Comet gave him a thoroughly affronted look before gliding off. Koz groaned, staring up at the ceiling as if it could understand his pain. Great, and now his feet were cold.

 

There was no apparent reason for it the third time he awoke, maybe it was just his warrior's brain expecting another ambush. Quietly, he sat up, blinking sleepily in the direction of the study. The faintly glowing tail protruding out from the lump of blankets reassured him that his guest was still in his place, and Koz was able to spend the rest of the remaining night in blissful silence and solitude.

 

Of course, the “silence and solitude” part couldn't last. Though there was no difference in the intensity of the swirling lights outside the window, Koz's inner alarm clock ensured that he woke up on time, steady as clockwork. Swinging his long legs over the side of the bed, he nearly stepped on Jack. The Comet had seen fit to move, blankets and all this time, right up to the floor at Koz's bedside.

“Jack-” Koz began, only to stop short. For some reason Jack had changed back into human form sometime during the night, and there was now one very naked young man blinking up at him. He was technically _always_ naked, but in his true form that was kind of taken for granted. Now, however, it was much more obvious. At least he had the sense to keep the blankets over his lower half. Koz tore his gaze away swiftly.

“Why did you change-No wait, I don't care. Just _put on some clothes_. Now.”

“I don't want to...attract attention. By being... that.” Jack's eyes fell for a moment before rising to meet Koz's defiantly. “I only changed before 'cause I got scared. This is what I'm supposed to look like. It just takes me a while to get the magic under control. Anyway, this form's not really that inconvenient. Aside from the clothes thing. I guess you earthbound people need them though, you tend to have everything hanging out all the time, it's weird-”  
Koz cut him off. “Clothes. Now.”

“Uh...I don't know where they are. I kind of left them behind when I got, uh, startled earlier. Pretty sure your men tossed 'em.”

Koz groaned, stepping carefully past the pale young man. As an afterthought, he dumped more blankets on top of him. “I'll find you something. Orion's belt, stay there until I get back.”

In response, Jack only smirked up at him, cheerily wrapping Koz's comforter around his thin shoulders. Koz nearly strode out of his quarters in his nightclothes, but managed to catch himself. It wouldn't have been the first time, and it wasn't as if anyone would dare question the Lord High General, but still. Ignoring Jack's questioning look, Koz locked himself in the bathroom long enough to change into a casual uniform and make himself presentable, then left in search of a way to make his uninvited guest presentable as well.

His crew came in all shapes and sizes, and it wasn't too difficult to find something that would fit Jack without making it look like he was an actual crew member. He tore his thoughts away from the image of Jack wandering around in uniform. He considered telling the Comet to just keep to his true form since there was no reason to hide it, but he had a sneaking suspicion Jack would refuse. _This is all still new to him_ , Koz reminded himself. _He's spent centuries thinking he's actually a monster_. _It's going to take him time to accept that he is what he is_. Jack knew the name for his kind now, but it obviously didn't mean anything to him yet. Besides, a rather ordinary looking humanoid would attract far less attention than a glowing blue Comet, especially since they'd be spending time planetside today.

In the end, Koz salvaged an ensemble that should be appropriate for wandering the streets of a civilian town. He manged to get Jack to put them on with minimal fussing, although the brat refused to wear shoes, or footwear of any sort. Eventually Koz gave up. “Do I still have to wear this thing?” Jack tugged on the restraint collar.

“Yes. Remember what I said about it constraining your powers? You said yourself you can't control them. Until we can find someone who can help you do so, you will wear it.”

“It itches.”

“It took three hours to defrost everything that you froze on your earlier adventure.”

“...” Jack glared, and then yelped as an announcement blared over the speakers. Ice shot from his alabaster fingertips, coating the edge of the bed and forcing Koz to leap back.

“I make my point. That could have been much worse.” Koz brushed away some of the shimmering blue frost.

“Ok, fine. I get it.” Jack folded his arms, tucking his hands in his armpits. “What was that?”

“The announcement that we have, at last, arrived. We'll be exiting warp soon. Sit down.”

For once, Jack obeyed. “Why?” he questioned, seating himself on the unfrozen portion of the bed.

“It's going to get a bit bumpy for a moment.” Koz, more than used to the _Alnilam_ 's speed changes, merely grabbed the edge of the nightstand to steady himself. There was a loud rumbling followed by a sudden jolt, and the swirling lights outside the window faded to reveal star-speckled darkness. Koz was aware of the engines making an unfamiliar noise as the warp disengaged, but before he could question it Jasper's voice crackled from the speaker.

“Made it, General. Engine's none too happy right now as you probably heard but hey, it did its job. We're where we need to be, and I'll have these guys back in working order in no time. You and the crew can go have fun down on some real, genuine earth while we good little worker drones patch up the engines.”  
“Good man. At least make sure all of you there step out for a bit as well before we head out again. That's an order, worker drones. You've earned it.” Koz padded to the window, gazing out and the green-and-blue orb that was now visible. Gods, it was good to see an honest-to-goodness world, one with cities and shops and technology. It felt like it had been centuries.

“Whoa.” Jack's moonlight-pale hair appeared in Koz's view as the disguised Comet squeezed his way in between Koz and the window, shoving his face against the glass. “That's what a world looks like from space? Is that what mine looked like? Your book thing only had drawings in it.”

“Didn't you see it when we left?” Koz raised a brow.

“Your cargo thingie doesn't exactly offer a good view. In fact, it doesn't offer any view. All I saw were boxes.”

“Ah, yes. I suppose that's true.” Koz admitted sheepishly. “It wasn't designed to accommodate stowaways.” His gaze returned to the planet. “As for the worlds, they don't all look exactly like that. It depends on the terrain. Yours was much smaller, and seemed to be mostly land. This one, Nozama, also has a great deal of water, the blue that you see there is an ocean. The land is concentrated around its equator, so it's very lush and tropical. Some planets have rings, and some are just swirling bands of gas and clouds, with no land within. Sometimes they're a bit lopsided, and sometimes it's not the even the planet that's inhabited, but the moon instead.”

“I want to see them all.”

“Perhaps you will. Assuming you don't wander off and get lost today. If you're serious about going to the surface, then you must be prepared to stay with me, and follow orders. It's a big world, and I am not familiar with it in the least.”

“Uh-huh.” Jack nodded absently. “You said the blue was an ocean. What's that? A giant lake? Are there fish?”

“Yes and no. Imagine a lake that's salty and goes on for what seems like forever. They are often unbelievably deep, with waves that flow along the surface. Ships sail across them, and it may take days or weeks to traverse. Many beings sailed the oceans of their worlds before they learned to sail the stars. And yes, they are full of fish, and plenty of other things. Come now, it's time to prepare for the landing.” Koz turned away from the window, scooping up his portable communicator and securing it around his wrist before heading toward the doors. “We will be inland, in the great jungle, away from the ocean. I warn you, it's warm there, and full of all manner of beings. Stay by my side, and you'll be safe.”

Jack trotted along behind him. Even in this form, it seemed odd to see him walking on the ground. It was off, somehow. Jack fiddled with the hem of the short-sleeved blue shirt he'd been given. “I'll be fine. I've been looking after myself for centuries, remember?”

“You were in the Outer Reaches. The worlds of the galactic disc are as different as night and day.”

The _Alnilam_ 's corridors were a flurry of activity. Jack got many passing stares, but he looked rather normal now, and the crew were so excited to get off the ship for a spell that he and Koz attracted little attention. Normally they'd take the smaller landers down to the surface, but the need for repairs meant they had to land the galleon itself. Koz was just glad this world had a spaceport big enough to accommodate it. Jack trailed along behind him like a graceful shadow. His brilliant eyes, now a clear ice blue, took in every detail.

The fervor was a bit more toned down on the bridge itself, as the crew focused on landing operations. “What is this place?” Jack craned his neck to take it all in.

“The ship's control center. It's how we navigate the stars, operate the weapons, and such. Think of it this way: The engines, where we caught you, are like the ship's heart. This is the brain. Everyone here has a very important job to do, so don't go bothering them. I'd appreciate it if we didn't crash.”

Jack glared at him before turning his attention back to the rapidly approaching world. Koz had to give him credit, he managed to not freeze anything as the _Alnilam_ lurched into Nozama's atmosphere. Beyond the arching viewports, stars gave way to swirling clouds, which in turn gave way to vast forests of every imaginable shade of green. “Whoa....”

It took them another half hour to get landed and settled, but finally everything was in order enough for the crew to disembark. Koz strode down the lines of waiting crew in the docking bay, Jack once again trailing in his wake. They stood at attention, every one of them exuding the air of a soldier of the highest order, even in casual dress. Koz smiled, knowing that as soon as he gave them permission to disembark they'd scatter like schoolkids at recess. How could he blame them? He was ready to run off this tub himself. “Alright, slackers. Go breathe in some real air for a change.” With a thunderous shout of acknowledgment, the waiting crowd flowed down out of the massive doors and into the sunlight.

Jack followed him to the doorway, and stopped short. Koz glanced back. “What's wrong? Change your mind?”  
“It's hot. Like, a wall of hot.” Jack glared at the sunlit tarmac beyond the galleon. “And this air feels _sticky_.”

“Well, you could stay in my quarters for the day. I don't think they'll need to turn off the climate controls to fix the engines. But I could be wrong, that's not my forte.” Temperature extremes didn't bother Koz too much, Celestials had a high tolerance for that sort of thing. Even so, he could feel the heaviness of the moisture-laden air, and imagined it must be miserable for a creature of the cold. Still, it was real air, real earth, and real trees.

Jack stared at him in horror, then plunged forward once more. Determination was etched into his pale, elfin features. “I'll live. I've survived hot summers without melting. I want to see a new world, and I'm stronger than some stupid heat.”

 

“Orion's Belt, I am not dressed for this.” Koz groaned. He didn't know what he'd been expecting. Of course the population of the city would be out lining the streets hoping to catch a glimpse of him, his crew, and his ship. Word traveled fast, and even if it didn't, anyone with eyes would just have to look up and see the _Alnilam_ 's shining gold hull descending from the heavens. Thankfully, it didn't look like they'd thrown together anything official, and past the edges of the starport's clearing, where most of the gawkers were gathered, the forest rose up suddenly like a verdant wall. It shouldn't be too hard to lose himself in the city hidden beneath the living canopy. He'd just have to be careful not to lose Jack.

Even in casual clothing, Koz's height, profile, and hair meant he stood out from the rest of his crew like a sore thumb. Jack huddled closer to him, still staring open-mouthed at the myriad beings lining the streets. Thankfully, the same features that made Koz a beacon also made the crowd part for him. He'd long ago learned to combine a cheerful smile and wave with a gaze that said _touch me and I will eat you_. It kept his admirers happy and his path clear.

“So, you're actually kind of famous? I mean, I get that you're some kind of military person, but... ” Jack spared him a glance.

Koz laughed. In a way, it almost felt good to have one person in the galaxy who didn't know who he was. It made him feel like a normal person, something all too rare nowadays. It also meant that Jack truly had no idea what kind of world he'd thrown himself into. Now that he thought about it, he'd never formally introduced Jack to anyone. Including Koz himself. “Kind of famous? I'm only the Lord High General of the Galaxies, the hero of a thousand battles against the forces of darkness. The ship that you have decided to stow away on, and nearly broken, is the greatest of the golden star galleons, the _Alnilam_. People throughout the galaxies know it. Know me.”

Jack paused. “Wow. I'm impressed, really. Here I thought you were just a cranky guy in shiny armor.” He grinned cheekily at Koz, and trotted forward once more. “What's a galaxy, anyway? Is it a city even bigger than this?”

Now it was Koz's turn to stop, causing the disguised Comet to walk solidly into his back with a yelp. “You really have no idea, do you?”

“I'm sort of new to all this, remember? I mean, I know there's stars in the sky, and a sun and moon, and what soldiers are. Back on my world they formed a kind of army thing for a while to chase me off. And I know about Dream Pirates, I listened to all the travelers that came down on their fancy ships.” He shrugged. “And I guess according to you I'm from space, too. I don't really know, but I'll learn. You're already teaching me a lot.” He wiped an alabaster hand across his brow. “Can we go somewhere shady? I don't like this sun, or this heat...Do they even have winter here, I wonder.”

“So, you know of Dream Pirates yet you've never heard of me? Well, it was the Outer Reaches.” Koz sighed, shaking his head. Really, Jack wasn't going to be his problem that much longer. Once he got the Comet to the Archives he could learn all the things he wanted, under the eye of someone else. Jack could find out about his kind, and eventually go back into space where he belonged. In the meantime, Koz was stuck with him.

It wasn't too hard to oblige Jack's request for shade, since most of the city was hidden beneath the massive canopy of greenery that covered the planet's landmass. However, even below the soaring trees, the heat and humidity persisted. Despite that, the place was full of activity. Shops, cafes, and businesses were nestled in between the raised, crisscrossing roots of the ancient trees, or even set up in hollowed out trunks. There were a few paved roads for the transport of goods, but most of the city's pathways were smaller pedestrian footpaths. The inhabitant's houses were actually up in the canopy, where rope bridges spanned the heights as pathways for those without wings. Most of the Nozamians were brightly colored avians, with feathered wings and curved beaks. Jack craned his neck, staring into the heights.

“If it wasn't hot enough to melt here, I think I'd like it. The people here look like they all can fly.”

“It would seem that way. But, they build on the ground to accommodate trade and commerce with beings who cannot, or who are uncomfortable with great heights. Ah, now here's something I think you'll like. Ice cream.” Koz slowed, gazing into the window of one of the colorful storefronts.

Jack perked visibly. “What's that? Is it actually cold?”

“Yes. One of the foods that has spread almost universally. Especially on warm worlds like this, it's quite popular.”

A few crew members were already inside the shop hiding from the heat, and they greeted their General cheerfully. Jack trotted to the counter and stared at the colorful tubs. The shopkeeper cheerily offered them a few samples, which Jack eagerly accepted. “Ok, this is now my favorite food. Koz, you've opened my eyes.”

“I'm every so glad to help. Perhaps once you learn to focus your powers, you can open your own shop.”

In the end, Koz decided on something that tasted like cacao and spice, but was bright green. Jack, after much debate, settled for one that had dark blue and white swirls and seemed minty. Treats in hand, they continued wandering the streets. They got stares, and whispers, and the occasional giggle from passersby, but no one bothered them.

“Why are they doing that?” Jack tilted his head, contemplating the latest batch of observers.

“It's all part of having star status. Also, I am told that many species find me attractive.”

“Do they now?” Jack raised an eyebrow, a little smirk on his lips.

Koz sighed, ignoring him. “I don't really get it at all. I'm just a soldier, doing my duty. At least there's no cameras and vid crews this time. I'm sure there would be, if they had more warning that we were arriving. While I do enjoy a bit of attention now and then, it does get out of hand sometimes.”

“Uh-huh, I see.”

A nearby shop caught Koz's eye, and he wandered toward it. Inside, it was full of interesting jewelry made with local products. There were baubles of polished horn, and various colored metals. Koz picked up a little trinket for Seraphina, a green-gold necklace adorned with a charm containing a tiny jungle flower encased in resin. She loved botanical specimens from other worlds. Jack wandered from case to case, sharp eyes taking in every curiosity. He was too in awe of his surroundings to complain more, but Koz could see he was slowing down. The heat was getting to him. Leaving the shop, Koz gazed down the path. Ahead, he could see a branch in the walkway, one path leading off toward a large courtyard, a cooling fountain at its center. Koz herded Jack toward it.

Beneath the fine spray of chilled water, the temperature dropped to a more tolerable degree. The little square was busy with people taking a break from the jungle heat. Jack raised his head, eyes closed as he enjoyed the mist. Koz glanced around the courtyard. On one side, there was an exotic animal merchant. On the opposite end, a vendor was selling what looked like fried dough. Like ice cream, that seemed to be another universal food product. Behind them, the row of trees appeared to have been converted into a hotel of some sort, visitors hurried in and out of the doors carved into the massive trunks, their luggage in tow. In front of them, a lawn of short grass spread out, dotted with picnickers enjoying their afternoon snacks. Statues of sculpted metal stood watch on pedestals, one in each of the courtyard's four corners.

All in all, it wasn't a bad world. It was just too enclosed for Koz. He loved the trees, but after being aboard the galleon for so long, he was ready for open spaces and a truly unhindered sky. “It's going to be good to be home,” he said softly.

“Hmm?” Jack opened one arctic blue eye.

“The place that I come from is much more open. It's hills and fields, not thick forests. I haven't seen it in so very long. This place is beautiful, but it's not...home.” Jack was quiet again, and Koz glanced at him. “Ah, I'm sorry,” he began.

“No, it's ok. I don't miss that little world. It wasn't my home. It's the place I was used to, but it wasn't … where I belonged. But I'll find it one day.” Jack sprang to his feet with unnatural grace. “I think this water refreshed me a little. There's still so much more to see here, right?” He scanned the area. “Koz...is that a statue...of you?” He pointed to the golden sculpture behind the animal vendor. Koz followed his gaze.

“...Yes, it is. There's at least one on every world you'd care to mention, I'm sure. Like I said, Lord High General of the Galaxies. I've been doing this job longer than you've existed, probably. I'm a Guardian of the people, keeping the darkness at bay, a hero of the highest order. The citizens love to erect statues of their heroes. It was a bit unnerving at first, but I've grown used to seeing them. Don't worry, I don't let it go to my head.”

“Uh-huh, sure.” Jack made a beeline for the statue. “I think they got your nose wrong though-” his words cut off with a sharp cry.

One of the creatures in the pen nearest the Comet let out a sizzling hiss, rising onto its back legs. It was a slimy looking reptilian thing, its smooth skin seemed to glow in shades of orange and yellow. A salamander. Jack flattened himself against the statue's base, eyes wide. Their color changed from blue to brilliant rainbow hues. Koz raced toward him as the stall owner shouted something, pulling on the chain that bound the salamander. The creature hissed again, red flames blazing up along its back. It lunged forward, only to stop short. “It's chained! Can't get out! Special chains!” the Nozamian called out again, this time in Lunar. Keeping one eye on the flaming lizard, Koz repeated the assurance to Jack. It was to no avail.

There was a cry of terror, a flash of blue, and the thundering crackle of ice. Koz's long legs slid out from under him and he fell back hard, breath forcibly knocked out of him as he hit the ice. He struggled back to his feet, blinking the stars out of his eyes in time to see a streak of brilliant blue vanish into the emerald shadows of the jungle. Had the heat and the restraint collar truly done anything to quell his abilities? Just how powerful was Jack? Ignoring the stunned Nozamian, Koz grit his teeth, sprinting in the direction of the fleeing Comet. Jack was already tired, he couldn't make it that far. Could he?

 

 


End file.
